Regional offices being outfitted with customer safety in mind; appointment-based system will be utilized

CHARLESTON, WV – DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier announced today that the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles will resume the remaining services that were put on hold as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit with some modifications. Beginning May 26th, the DMV will offer appointments for services that must be done in-person, including transferring an out-of-state driver’s license, issuing an original identification card, reissuing an ID card or driver’s license with changes, driver knowledge examinations, and salesperson knowledge examinations. Appointments will be offered at the following regional office locations:
Kanawha City / Charleston
Winfield
Beckley
Charles Town / Kearneysville
Huntington
Moundsville
Fairmont
Flatwoods
Romney
Parkersburg

In addition, the DMV will resume driver skill examinations on May 26th at nine locations where new courses have been developed that will allow the driver examiner to observe the driving from outside the car while the applicant completes the test with a licensed parent or other licensed driver over the age of 21 accompanying the driver in the vehicle. The nine Regional Offices conducting driver skills courses include all of the previously listed locations above except Winfield. Additional locations for driver skills tests will be announced as they are made available.

The DMV will unveil an online appointment scheduling app the week of May 18th, for appointments beginning May 26th. Applicants for a commercial driver’s license have been using an appointment system since March and may continue to do so. The switch to an appointment based system will help protect customers from exposure to large crowds and will reduce wait times at the offices. Safety measures in addition to the appointment based system include upgrading the regional offices with plexiglass wall dividers (in progress), temperature checks and masks for employees, and plenty of cleaning supplies.

To further assist customers, Commissioner Frazier is modifying the previous 90 day extensions granted for certain expiring documents to a blanket August 1st extension for all documents that expired or expire between March 1, 2020 and August 1, 2020. This extension applies to the following documents:
Any Driver’s License including Graduated Driver’s License (levels 1, 2, and 3, and includes February expiration dates) and Commercial Driver’s License
Instructional Permits, including Commercial Permits
Vehicle registration, including temporary vehicle registrations or plates, and IRP registration

The DMV has also greatly enhanced the online renewal system so that the vast majority of transactions can be completed remotely, and reminds customers that all title and registration work can be completed by mail or through any of the open license and title agencies across the state. A list of license agencies is available by going to dmv.wv.gov. Customers are encouraged to continue to utilize DMV’s online services portal to handle many of their most requested transactions, including:
Driver’s license renewal (if no changes, and every other cycle)
Duplicate driver’s license request
Vehicle registration renewals
Duplicate vehicle registration decals and cards
Print your driving record
Check your driver’s license status
A full list of online services may be found by going to dmv.wv.gov

“We now have a solution for every service that the DMV offers,” says Commissioner Frazier, “although the method of delivery may be different than in the past. Necessity is the mother of invention and we hope that the additional online services and appointment-based scheduling system will have a positive impact on customer service long after the pandemic is in our rearview mirror. We have learned to be more flexible and I know that we will continue to make modifications to make our service better than ever.”

For more information, you may contact the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles at 1-800-642-9066.